


The Problem With  Fines

by frightenedlobster



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Bitty is angry but lowkey insecure, Bitty is annoyed about the rules of the Sin Bin, Established Relationship, M/M, Mentions of Chowder/Farmer, Very very brief lardo/shitty, fines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-04
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2019-03-25 23:42:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13845510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frightenedlobster/pseuds/frightenedlobster
Summary: The problem with fines was not because he had to pay them.  Bitty didn't mind having to pay them (sometimes).  The new dryer was something the whole Haus needed.It was the fact that the only safe places Jack and Bitty had to be themselves was the Haus and Jack's apartment.Except everytime Jack and Bitty so much as looked at each other in the Haus, they were fined.Bitty had had enough.





	The Problem With  Fines

**Author's Note:**

> It always kinda bothered me that Jack and Bitty were fined so much in the Haus when they really had no other place to just be themselves, and I imagine if I was in their situation, it would have bothered the he'll outta me, and so here we are...
> 
> I kinda lost motivation halfway through this...

Bitty had had enough.

It was absolutely ridiculous and it was annoying him to no end.  He hadn't even realised how much it annoyed him until Jack had left and the boys and Lardo had bounced on him for "deets" and fines.  

By the time Bitty got away from them 20 minutes later, he was seeing red.

He hated fines.  He hated them so much.

The problem with fines was not because he had to pay them. Bitty didn't mind having to pay them (sometimes). The new dryer was something the whole Haus needed.

It was the fact that the only safe places Jack and Bitty had to be themselves was the Haus and Jack's apartment.

Except everytime Jack and Bitty so much as looked at each other in the Haus, they were fined.

Bitty had had enough.

Bitty and Jack had told their friends about them not too long ago.  They had been great about it - hadn't once shown any sort of discomfort (not that Bitty expected them too) and they hadn't slipped up and told anyone about them.

The fines were part of being in a relationship.  When Chowder and Farmer had started dating, Bitty and everyone else had chirped and fined him for weeks on end, until Chowder and Farmer got better at dodging fines.

Bitty knew that it was just part if being in a relationship and being friends with his friends.  He knew that.

But Lord did he hate fines.

The first time Jack had visited after they came out to their friends, the half empty Sin Bin ended up being completely full when Jack had left the next day.

The whole visit went something like this -

"Hi sweetheart!"

 _Fine_.

Bitty kisses Jack.

 _Fine_.

Jack affectionately calls him bud.

 _Fine_.

Jack slings his arm around Bitty's shoulders.

 _Fine_.

Bitty kisses Jack's cheek.

 _Fine_.

Jack chirps Bitty about his baking and Bitty calls him Mr Zimmermann.

 _Fine_.

And this all happened within the first ten minutes of Jack's visit.

Bitty ignored the twinge of annoyance after that visit though, scolding himself for even thinking about being annoyed, especially since he should just be happy that they can be so open around their friends.

He ignored the twinge of annoyance after every overheard phone call or Skype-session or every text message one of their friends sees.  He ignored it after the next two visits to the Haus.  He ignored it after Shitty told everyone about the notes he leaves on Jack's pregame PB&J and they had fined him into the afterlife.  He ignored it after every time Bitty came back from Providence with a fresh hickey and a slight limp (although, he probably deserves those fines).

Bitty ignored it after every time they were fined for just being there together and acting normal. 

The next time Jack left after a visit and once Bitty had finished seeing red, he devised a plan, which he called How To Escape Fines.  It was a flawless plan that Jack was not allowed to know about.

If Jack found out about how much the fines bothered him, he would definitely want to do something about it and Bitty really, really did not want to have to have that conversation with his friends.  It was best to keep it secret for now.

He put his plan into motion when Jack visited again three weeks later.  Bitty wasn't very sure how Jack wasn't going to figure out something was off.  He decided to ignore that problem until later. 

The plan was simple, just some small things Bitty needed to avoid doing.  Didn't mean it was easy to get it going.

Jack arrived at around 11 o'clock, coming straight from practice, despite Bitty saying he should eat and rest first.  Jack, of course, ignored him. 

It was one of those rare days when both Jack and Shitty could make it down.  Shitty had arrived the night before, and most of the boys were still in bed, nursing hangovers that accompanied their small party with Shitty.  

It was just Bitty, Chowder and Dex in the kitchen when Jack arrived.  Ransom had lectures, and Holster, Nursey, Shitty and Lardo were still in bed.  

Jack opened the unlocked front door, knocking quietly.  "Bits?" Jack called out softly.  Bitty had warned him that the boys and Lardo were all nursing hangovers, so Jack should be quiet when he arrived.  

"In the kitchen," Bitty replied.  

Jack appeared around the corner, smiling softly at him.  He nodded at the other two, who murmured their greetings and went back to discussing Breaking Bad.  

Jack looked brilliant as always, his droopy blue eyes warm and sparkling.  He grinned at Bitty and walked over.  

Normally, Bitty would say something along the lines of, "Hi sweetheart!" and kiss Jack.  But that wasn't part of his plan.

Instead, Bitty said, "Hi Jack."  When Jack stooped to down kiss him, Bitty wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled Jack close, hugging him tightly.  Jack seemed a little surprised but went with it anyways, his strong arms wrapping around Bitty's waist.

Bitty pulled away and stepped back to the counter.  He had been making pancakes, knowing Jack was arriving on a mostly empty stomach. 

"Hey Bits," Jack said.  

"Now I know you came straight from practice, despite me telling you not to, so sit right down.  I've got some pancakes on the way," Bitty said.  

Bitty patted Jack on the chest and then gave him a nudge towards the table.  Jack seemed a bit lost but Chowder and Dex hadn't said anything yet, so Bitty counted it as a win.

"You don't have to.  I already ate," Jack said.

Bitty rolled his eyes fondly.  "A protein shake is not enough.  I already have them made anyways, so you have to eat them."

"I suppose we can't let them go to waste," Jack said, sighing dramatically and winking at him.

"Hush now, Mr Zim-" Bitty stopped when Dex glanced up.  "Jack," Bitty finished, lamely.  He blushed faintly.

Jack was doing that thing again where he looked like a lost puppy and Bitty hated it.

He missed Jack all the time.  He really really did.  But he really couldn't afford to be paying all the fines he had to pay and was just so tired of them.  All he really wanted was somewhere where Jack and Bitty could just be them for five minutes without someone saying something.

A short while later, everyone was sitting at the table, drawn from their beds by the smell of pancakes and coffee.  Jack was talking quietly to Lardo about her latest art project.  The rest of the boys were laughing and joking about something silly.  Bitty smiled fondly at the table.  He really did love them all but Lord was he annoyed at them.

Bitty was finished making pancakes at this stage but there was no room at the table to sit.  Normally, Bitty would take an opportunity like this to sit in Jack's lap, because he loves making excuses to be close to Jack.  But the all of their friends are here.  

He fills the sink up with soapy water and thinks about what he can do.  The Sin Bin is mere inches away from Bitty on the counter.  It seems to stare relentlessly at him while he wastes time pondering something so silly.  

Bitty ignores it and puts the pans and bowls he used into the sink to soak.  He grabbed his own plate of pancakes.  The maple syrup was on the table by Jack, so Bitty leaned around him to get it.  Jack put his hand on Bitty's waist and smiled up at him.  He looked so cute with his pretty eyes and pretty smile, Bitty just wanted to kiss his cheeks but he didn't.  Jack moved to make room for Bitty to sit on his lap but Bitty pulled away from the table to stand by the counter instead.

Jack frowned slightly.  He looked concerned but thankfully didn't say anything about it.  The rowdy chatter continued for a while before Ransom finally asked why Bitty wasn't sitting down.

"You Bitty, why are standing up there?  Come sit down!  You made us pancakes," Ransom said, gesturing wildly.

"There're no chairs," Bitty said.  

''I'm sure you can find somewhere,'' Ransom cajoled.

''I'm fine.''

"I'm sure Jack won't mind you sharing with him," Lardo smirked.  Bitty blushed as the boys cooed and batted their eyelashes at him.  Jack was blushing slightly too but he just rolled their eyes at them.

"I'm don't want to sit down," Bitty said.  That was the wrong thing to say.  The cooing and the eyelash batting stopped but it was replaced by awkward glances between him and Jack.  There was an uncomfortable silence.  

"Uh, because I have to clean these dishes!  Can't leave the kitchen looking like a mess, Lord knows my mama would not be happy with that," Bitty said.  He dropped his plate into the sink and started furiously scrubbing it.  

''Uh, you want help?''

''No, no, I'm fine Chowder.  Y'all just keep eating.  I'm sure there's some left over breakfast muffins somewhere if someone wants to look, though.''

''Oh, ok.  Thanks Bitty!'' Chowder said.  Ever the enthusiast, he hopped up to find the muffin, while Bitty scrubbed too hard at the not-very-dirty dishes.  He could feel Jack looking at him, but he ignored it pointedly.

That went well.  Jack had said nothing, Bitty had looked like an idiot, and now their friends probably thought there was something wrong in their relationship.  Brilliant.

Soon enough, the rowdy chatter returned and everyone seemed to forget about Bitty acting weirdly.  Their attention turned to Chowder and, what was definitely, a hickey on his collar bone.  His shirt had slipped down when Nursey tugged at the bottom of it, demanding muffins.  The boys were ribbing him about it now, and Lardo had grabbed the Sin Bin, shoving it under Chowder's nose as he coughed up $10.  Bitty was content to let their attention lie elsewhere.  

Of course, that was until Jack started picking up their plates and cutlery.  He brought them over to the sink and grabbed a tea towel to start drying up.  Bitty thanked him with a smile and went back to the sink.  Jack didn't say anything, just dutifully dried whatever Bitty washed, but Bitty could feel him glancing at him every now and then.  

They had done this countless of times, Bitty methodically washing the dirty dishes, Jack drying them.  They stood side-by-side, their arms brushing with almost every movement.  Bitty felt ridiculous.  He felt like they were back to their old habits of hiding their relationship and stealing kisses and touches in secret.  

Bitty didn't want to be back to their old ways.  But damn did he hate how he couldn't even do something as simple as washing dishes with Jack, before someone shouted;

''Fine! Jack and Bitty that is one big domestic fine!''

Jack was rolling his eyes at their friends, joking with them.  He didn't seem bothered by it, didn't seem to care.  That annoyed Bitty too -  he was completely overreacting.  If it didn't bother Jack, why the hell should it bother him?

They weren't touching.  They weren't talking.  They weren't even fucking looking at each other.

Bitty threw the cloth into sink.  The water splashed the bottom of shirt.  Jack stopped taking out his wallet and frowned.

''Bitty?''

He turned and left the room, not caring that his friends were calling him back, telling him it was just friendly joking.  He didn't care.

He was so annoyed.

* * *

There was a knock on his door ten minutes later.  Bitty was sitting on his bed, ripping up a piece of paper, and fuming.  He didn't open the door or reply, and the knock came again, accompanied by Jack's sweet voice. 

''Bittle?''

''What?'' He winced.  Bitty hated that he sounded like a petulant child but he was sulking like one, so he didn't care.

''Can I come in?'' 

''Door's open.''

Jack stepped into the room and shut the door shut behind him. Bitty could hear his friends talking downstairs.  Shitty sounded like he was arguing with Holster about _Hamilton_.  Again.

''Hey bud.  Uh, can we talk?'' 

''I suppose,'' Bitty sighed.  He glanced over at Jack.  He was standing in the middle of the room, rubbing the back of his neck and looking very unsure of himself.  He met Bitty's eyes and Bitty felt like such an idiot for thinking this was a good idea.  ''C'mere sweetheart,'' he said, and a bit of tension seemed to fall from Jack's shoulders.

He sat on the edge of the bed by Bitty's crossed legs, and put his had on Bitty's knee. ''What's up Bits?  You've been acting weird all morning,''  Jack asked softly.  He seemed embarrassed, so he focused on tracing his fingers up and down Bitty's leg and didn't meet his eye.  Bitty shivered at the goose bumps Jack's fingers left behind.  ''You've only called me Jack and you haven't even kissed me.''

''Oh sweetpea, I'm sorry, I was actin' the fool.'' Bitty dropped his head into his hands.  One of Jack's hands immediately began to stroke through his hair and Bitty wanted to cry.  Jack was too good for him.  ''You're too good for an idiot like me, you know that darlin'?''

''Bits, no, don't say that -''

''But its true!  Here was me getting all worked up over _fines_ , of all things, when I should just be like you, and be happy that our friends don't care or they don't act weird around us or make a fuss!  But I can't help it Jack! It just really bothers me, all the fines, all the time.  Lord knows I want to kiss you all the time and that I'm so glad I can do just that anytime you're over here, but I _hate_ how every goddamn time I so much as look at you, they're waving that damn Sin Bin in our faces.  Its not like we have a wide range of places where we can just be us.  It's here and your place and that's it!  But we don't even really have here, unless it's behind a closed door, because they're waving that stupid fucking jar around the whole time, and its not _fair_.''

They're both quiet for a moment.  Bitty didn't want to overreact like he just had.  He wanted to take it all back that instant.

He sighed.  ''I'm sorry, sweetpea.  I'm just being silly.  Ignore what I said-''

Bitty tried to get up but Jack grabbed him around the waist and pulled him down into his lap.  Bitty was right.  It was always so damn comfy in Jack's lap.

''No, no, no, Bits don't say that.  Why didn't you tell me this was bothering you?'' Bitty shrugged.  Jack's eyes were too bright and earnest.  He couldn't meet them.  ''Bitty.  You are not being silly.  If this is something that's bothering you, then you should tell me.  I guess I never really noticed it before because I'm not here every day, but when I think about it, they do fine us all the time.  We're not like Chowder and Farmer, who can just go outside and no one cares that they're together.  Bitty,'' Jack says.  He held his chin and made Bitty look at him.  ''If this is something that really bothers you, then we can talk to them about it, ok?  They won't mind.  They might not understand but they won't mind.''

''No, Jack we really don't have to.''

''Bittle, its upsetting you.  I want to.  But I wont do it unless you're ok with it.  I just think that it might make your life a whole lot easier.  Can we talk to them?''

''OK.''

''OK.  Good.  But first, let me kiss you.  I haven't gotten to do that yet and I'm not pleased.''

Bitty laughed and Jack smothered it with a kiss.  It's soft and gentle and chaste, but it's perfect.  Jack cupped Bitty's face in his hands, stroking his cheek as Bitty clutches onto Jack's shirt.  It made Bitty feel so much more relaxed than he has felt in forever, and he told Jack that to make him smile.  Jack kissed him three more times before he patted Bitty's butt and stood up.

''C'mon Bits, before I get distracted.'' 

Bitty laughed again.  He clung to Jack's hands on the way downstairs.  Thankfully, everyone is still hanging around.  Nursey and Ransom are in the living room but Jack gestures at them to come to the kitchen.

Bitty lets go of Jack's hand but hovered around.

''What's up, Jackabelle?'' Shitty said, grinning broadly.

 ''We need to talk about the fines.''

Instantly, everyone starts groaning and complaining. 

''Just because you guys can't control yourselves, doesn't mean its our fault!''

''There's nothing wrong with the fines!''

''You have a fucking NHL salary, Jack, how can you possibly complain about money?''

''Fuck no, we're not changing them!''

''Would you just listen to me for one fucking second?'' Jack shouted above the noise.  It took a minute but the grumbling quieted down.  ''Thank you.  We need to do something about the fines because you're waving the Sin Bin in our faces every fucking minute of the day and its not fair.''

''What's not fair is having to see you guys fucking get it on every fucking minute of the day,'' Holster grumbled and there was a murmur of agreement.  Lardo was quiet, her eyes focused on Bitty.

''What's not fair is only having two places where Bitty and I don't have to hide our relationship, and having to fucking pay for the privilege to act like we're in a relationship in one of those places.  What's not fucking fair is that we can't be seen together outside of my apartment and the Haus, and every minute we spend in the Haus, someone is waving that fucking jar in our faces.''

Everyone went very quiet and no one looked at each other.  Bitty felt uncomfortable but he was so relieved Jack had said that.  He squeezed Jack's hand and held on tight. 

''I get that you want a new dryer or whatever, and I'll pay for that.  I don't care about buying a dryer.  Just give us some space at least,'' Jack said.  He turned around and left the room, grabbing his bag along the way.  Bitty stood there awkwardly for a moment, but then followed Jack up the stairs.  They didn't talk until the bedroom door closed behind them.  Bitty pulled Jack into a long hug.

''Thank you honey.  I honestly don't think I could have said it myself.''

Jack kissed his hair.  ''Anything for you, Bits.  I don't think they'll bother you as much anymore.''

Bitty sighed.  ''I know they mean nothing by it, but it just bothered me.''

''I know.  I get it Bits,'' jack said.  He pulled back and held Bitty's face In his hands.  ''Guess I'll have to buy a good dryer now.''

Jack kissed Bitty again as he laughed.  Bitty hadn't felt as relaxed in weeks.

**Author's Note:**

> Am I right in calling the fines had a Sin Bin??? Or is that something I just made up??
> 
> Idk man, I'm just gonna leave it as Sin Bin.
> 
> This was supposed to be so much better but I just lost motivation half way through. I also have three other drafts of fics I started but didn't finish because I started this one instead :/ What's a girl with no motivation to finish anything gotta do, you know???


End file.
